BRITAIN will need to build a city the size of Birmingham every two years unless it cuts all ties with Europe.

The UK will need to build a city the size of Birmingham every two years to cope with migrants

If the UK remains subject to freemovement rules, net migration from the EU will continue at around 125,000 a year over the next decade, adding to those from other countries, a report said last night. A soft Brexit will leave the door open to 1.25 million EU immigrants over this time.

The disturbing scenario comes as the first full week of Brexit negotiations are poised to start today in Brussels with urgent new powers to control migration the priority.

Taking into account nonEU migrants, pressure group Migration Watch UK claims failure to control EU movement will result in the population rocketing by around 500,000 each year.

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This is close to figures from the Office for National Statistics under a high migration scenario.

These see the population rising nearly six million by 2027 and by more than 10 million over the next 20 years.

The current population of Birmingham is just over one million.

The warning coincides with the revelation that a group of 15 hardline pro-EU Tory MPs are scheming with Labour to try to keep Britain in the single market and under Brussels rule.

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A soft Brexit will leave the door open to 1.25 million EU immigrants

Former ministers Nicky Morgan, Ken Clarke, Anna Soubry and Dominic Grieve have all been linked to a plot orchestrated by Labour MP Stephen Kinnock to derail Brexit.

The whole scale and nature of our society risks slipping out of control

Lord Green of Deddington

In a report published today, Lord Green of Deddington, the chairman of Migration Watch, said: “The prospect of having to build the equivalent of a city the size of Birmingham every two years is simply appalling in a country that already feels overcrowded.

“These negotiations come at a critical point at which the whole scale and nature of our society risks slipping out of control. The Government must hold their nerve and get EU immigration sharply down.”

Alarming figures show Britain’s population has seen its sharpest increase in nearly 70 years, largely as a result of mass immigration.

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Former ministers including Ken Clarke have all been linked to a plot to derail Brexit

It rose by 538,000 in the 12 months to the end of June last year to an estimated 65.6 million.

The figure is the largest rise since the 551,000 increase recorded in 1946/7.

Migration Watch says a soft Brexit means the UK remaining in the single market when it leaves the bloc with net immigration from the EU staying at well over 100,000 a year for at least a decade.

It argues that while this option claims to prioritise jobs it will require Britain to continue to accept freedom of movement.

Migrant crisis: Key locations before and after

Tue, April 4, 2017

In these composite images, a comparison has been made between a scene at a key location during the height of the 2015 migrant crisis last year and the view there now

An alternative involving quitting the EU but remaining in the customs union will give the Government control of immigration from the bloc but rule out free trade agreements with third countries.

By contrast, a Brexit involving a comprehensive free trade agreement but no single market or customs union membership, will allow the UK to repatriate border controls and then negotiate a future trading relationship with the EU.

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The current population of Birmingham is just over one million

Tory MP Philip Hollobone said: “Migration Watch UK is the most respected independent body when it comes to migration analysis so everyone should sit up and take note of this report which provides further evidence of why we must not stay in the single market.

“The biggest single reason for Brexit was to get control of migration.

“If we stay in the single market effectively nothing would have changed. As a country we simply would not be able to cope with continued levels of migration on this scale.”

A Government spokesman said: “As the Prime Minister set out we will be leaving the single market."

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This Government should tear up its immigration policy and start again, says STEVEN WOOLFE, MEP

SINCE we have been members of the European Union and the single market, Britain has continuously outsourced a large part of its immigration policy to the EU.

With free movement of people, we have had no control over who comes to Britain from the EU.

This, along with other reasons, has led to unprecedented levels of mass migration.

The UK is on track to leave the EU and furthermore the Government is negotiating a deal to take us out of the single market, which will give the UK full control of its borders again.

The arguments and facts are clear: mass migration at current levels (quarter of a million per year net) is simply unsustainable.

If we were to stay in the single market, not only would it be a complete dereliction of duty to the 17.4 million who voted Leave last year, but it would mean any changes to non-EU migration the Government makes would be futile, while we have an open border to 500 million people. Only last year, we have seen the sharpest rise in UK population for 70 years, with 62 per cent of this increase due to inward immigration.

As a small nation, we cannot continue with irresponsible rises in immigration for the next 10, 20 or 30 years. We need to ask ourselves: what will be the impact of our decisions on the next generation?

Migration Watch UK is right to highlight that, on current figures, we’ll have to build a city the size of Birmingham every two years to cope with the demands. Astonishing.

Once we have full control, this Government should tear up its immigration policy and start again.